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The seven-member Ohio Redistricting Commission is made up of five Republicans - co-chair Speaker Bob Cupp, Gov. Mike DeWine, Auditor Keith Faber, Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Senate President Matt Huffman. There are two Democrats on the commission: co-chair Sen. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) and House Minority Leader Emiilia Sykes (D-Akron).

A Lawsuit Has Been Filed Over Maps That Preserve Republican Supermajorities In The Ohio House And Senate

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — As expected, a lawsuit has been filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Ohio against the new four-year Ohio House and Senate district maps, which experts say are gerrymandered to preserve Republican supermajorities in both chambers. The lawsuit… Read More

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Matt Dolan

Ohio Senator Matt Dolan Joins The Republican Race For U.S. Senate

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CLEVELAND (Statehouse News Bureau) — There’s yet another candidate in the crowded race for the Republican nomination for US Senate. Sen. Matt Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls), chair of the Senate Finance Committee and part owner of Cleveland’s baseball team, has joined the contest that will be decided in the GOP primary in May. Dolan describes himself… Read More

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Kids were in masks in Worthington Kilbourne High School when the district reopened for in-person learning in March 2021. All K-12 students and staff in the district are required to wear masks after a mandate went into effect August 25, a week after school started for the year.

Key Lawmaker Says A Mask Mandate For All Ohio Schools Wouldn’t Stand

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Children’s hospitals say they’re worried about rising cases of COVID in kids, with nearly half of all Ohio students not required to wear masks in schools. But that’s unlikely to change unless local officials make decisions to do that. There won’t be a statewide mask mandate for Ohio schools,… Read More

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A school bus in suburban Columbus picks up students in September 2020.

DeWine Not Ruling Out Ohio National Guard As School Drivers

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — The bus driver shortage is so bad in some Ohio school districts that drivers are being asked to do multiple routes, and districts are drafting other school workers to drive or even considering closing down buildings. But another potential solution to do a million miles of bus routes each… Read More

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graphic of a gavel on a blue background

Judge Says Hospital Won’t Be Forced To Treat Patient With Ivermectin

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CINCINNATI (Statehouse News Bureau) — A Cincinnati hospital won’t be forced to continue to treat a COVID patient on a ventilator with an unproven drug. This comes after a judge overruled a previous order from a fellow judge in the same court.Butler County judge Michael Oster Jr. denied a request to order UC Health West Chester… Read More

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A leaf from a cannabis plant

Backers Of Plan To Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol In Ohio Get OK For Next Step

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A proposal to legalize marijuana and regulate it like alcohol in Ohio has gotten approval from the panel that controls what goes on the statewide ballot. That means the plan’s backers can start what may be a two-step process. The Ohio Ballot Board gave the green light for the marijuana plan’s backers to start gathering… Read More

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FirstEnergy Logo

Democratic Lawmaker Wants Records, Investigation On Former Ohio Utilities Commission Chair And FirstEnergy

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A Democratic state lawmaker says he wants more information on the relationship between the former chair of the state’s utility regulating panel and FirstEnergy. It’s the latest in the federal nuclear power plant bailout case that’s seen several plea deals, while Republican former House Speaker Larry Householder or former Ohio GOP chair Matt Borges maintain… Read More

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A voting sign points into a polling location

Another Ohio Elections Bill Proposed; Would Cut Down Early Voting, Ban Ballot Drop Boxes And Most Mail Voting

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A second bill to overhaul Ohio’s election system has been proposed by some Republican state lawmakers, and this one is stricter than one introduced a few months ago that was deemed controversial by voting rights advocates. While some states that have seen major election overhaul bills proposed were red states that President Biden won, Ohio… Read More

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Man gets into white SUV while people try to take pictures of him

Ex-Ohio GOP Chair Speaks Out On His Arrest In Nuclear Bailout Corruption Case

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Two defendants accused in the $61 million corruption scandal involving the nuclear bailout law have maintained their innocence, as others have agreed to plea deals. One of them is former Ohio Republican Party chair Matt Borges. On the morning of July 20, 2020, five people were arrested in connection with what federal prosecutors say was… Read More

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One of three students receives a Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine during Gov. Dewines visit Monday, April 12.

Ohio COVID Cases Climb To Highest Number In Two Months

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COLUMUBS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Ohio’s COVID numbers are higher than they’ve been in two months, as the number of new vaccinations inches up only slightly. Confirmed cases dropped a bit on Thursday to 789 new cases. That’s down from 1,067 new confirmed cases the day before. That was the highest number of confirmed cases… Read More

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A leaf from a cannabis plant

Group Wants Ohio Lawmakers To Legalize Marijuana Or They’ll Take It To Voters

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — A group hoping to regulate marijuana like alcohol in Ohio has changed its legalization plan. It’s now looking at passing a state law rather than a constitutional amendment. The plan gives lawmakers four months from when the proposal is submitted to pass it as is, or the group can circulate more… Read More

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FILE - This undated photo provided by the Ohio Governor's Office shows Sam Randazzo, of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.

DeWine Learned Of FirstEnergy Payment To Former PUCO Chair Before He Resigned

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Gov. Mike DeWine has made his first public comments since last week’s plea deal from FirstEnergy in the federal corruption case involving the nuclear power plant bailout law known as House Bill 6. DeWine was asked what he knew about the connection between the Akron-based utility and the person he appointed to… Read More

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FirstEnergy Corp.'s Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station in Oak Harbor, Ohio.

FirstEnergy Charged In House Bill 6 Scandal, Agrees To $230 Million Penalty

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — FirstEnergy will pay $230 million after entering into a deferred prosecution agreement over charges that the company bribed then-House Speaker Larry Householder and former Public Utilities Commission chair Sam Randazzo. The company admitted it “conspired with public officials and other individuals and entities”, according to a release from Acting… Read More

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A reporter holds up an example of the amount of fentanyl that can be deadly

Pandemic Year Likely Deadliest One Ever For Drug Overdoses In Ohio

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Last year is likely to have been the deadliest year for drug overdoses ever in Ohio, according to a projection from the CDC. Ohio is projected to report 5,215 drug deaths last year, more than 14 Ohioans a day – breaking the record set with 4,854 deaths in 2017. That’s almost a… Read More

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A leaf from a cannabis plant

Democrats Sponsor Bill To Legalize, Regulate And Tax Marijuana In Ohio

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Two Democrats are introducing a bill in the Ohio House that would legalize marijuana for personal use beyond the medical use already allowed in law now. It’s the first bill that would set up a structure for the state to regulate and tax it. Rep. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) said his… Read More

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The Ohio Statehouse in Spring

DeWine Signs Ohio’s New Two-Year Budget With 14 Vetoes

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Nearly two hours past the midnight deadline, Gov. Mike DeWine put out a statement saying he signed the two-year, $75 billion state budget – while striking out 14 items. Most of the vetoes were technical and specific, but others were more notable. (Read DeWine’s full veto statement here.) DeWine struck the… Read More

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Ohio Statehouse

Two-Year Ohio Budget Passes, Heads To Governor Just Over A Day Before Deadline

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOUB) — With a little over a day till the deadline on Wednesday, the new two-year $75 billion state budget is on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine after overwhelmingly bipartisan votes in the House and Senate late Monday evening. A surprise surplus of $3 billion more than budget forecasters predicted led to a compromise… Read More

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The Statehouse building

Ohio Budget Director Expects $3 Billion Surplus Over The Next Two Years

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — The state budget process began during the pandemic, when schools and businesses were closed, unemployment numbers were at double digits, and terrifying predictions of death tolls were circulating. A year later, the state and Ohioans are flush with federal COVID relief money, so the budget picture has changed a… Read More

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Rep. Larry Householder (R-Glenford) speaks to reporters before session on September 1. It was the first time he was back in the House since being stripped of his speakership in July.

Larry Householder Becomes First Ohio Rep Expelled Since 1857

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — In a historic vote, the Ohio House has removed a former Speaker who was re-elected to his seat last fall, after he was arrested in what’s considered the largest bribery case ever in Ohio government. The House voted 75-21 to expel Rep. Larry Householder (R-Glenford), just a few days after… Read More

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Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost at a press conference announcing the settlement with Centene.

Ohio AG Settles With Pharmacy Benefits Manager For $88.3 Million

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Ohio has settled a lawsuit filed just three months ago with a pharmacy benefits manager it accused of using subcontractors to overcharge Ohio’s Medicaid program. Attorney General Dave Yost said Centene initiated the talks that led to the $88.3 million settlement. “We didn’t seek out a settlement. Centene initiated the… Read More

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Sen. Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City)

Senate President: Census Data Ruling May Not Help Ohio With Map-Drawing Deadline

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — A federal appeals court has sided with Ohio’s attorney general in his lawsuit to get US Census data earlier than expected to draw maps for Ohio’s Congressional and state House and Senate districts. But the leader of the Ohio Senate says at this point, he’s not sure it will make… Read More

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The Justice Center in Cleveland, the complex which houses the Cuyahoga County jail.

Another Effort To Reform Ohio’s Cash Bail System Launched

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — A bipartisan group of lawmakers launched another effort to overhaul the state’s bail system, which has been talked about for years and is backed by conservative and liberal groups. The newly introduced Senate bill doesn’t eliminate cash bail, but caps it at 25% of a person’s monthly net income. Sponsoring Sen. Rob McColley… Read More

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A row of desks in a classroom with a backpack hanging up on the back wall

Ohio’s School Funding Overhaul Could Be More Expensive Than Estimated

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — The school funding formula that’s in the latest version of the two-year state budget now being considered by the Ohio Senate will likely cost more than expected. The formula passed by the House last month seeks to calculate state aid based on 60% property values and 40% income in… Read More